Seeing the game “Final Fantasy VII” for the first time was John Ingebrigtsen’s ultimate “ah-ha” moment.
“I was 13, in my room at home, and I knew the minute I saw 'Final Fantasy VII’ that I wanted to make games for a living,” Ingebrigtsen said. “At that time, it was so ground-breaking, so beautiful, with a smooth, cinematic quality. It was such a beautiful effect that it inspired me.”
Today, Ingebrigtsen, 26, is a junior at Savannah College of Art and Design’s Atlanta campus, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in interactive design and game development. The Atlantan’s dream job is to become an art director for a major game development company like Blizzard or Bethesda.
“Games let people escape from the modern world,” Ingebrigtsen said. “Games are more interactive than movies because you don’t just sit back and watch. You have control and become immersed in the story.”
Learning how to develop computer games is hard work, and it's a relatively young industry. According to Luis Cataldi, who chairs the interactive design and game development program at SCAD, the school's success lies in its well-rounded curriculum.
“Students who come to SCAD will be taught foundational courses and all aspects of the game field. They learn the art side, design, production and technical skills,” Cataldi said. “When they get into the program, they learn where their aptitude fits so they can focus their energy.”
In June, SCAD students’ “Lost in Thought” game tied with the University of Wisconsin-Stout’s “Flash Frozen” for first place honors at a collegiate competition that was showcased during the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles. More than 60 universities competed to be among the five finalists exhibited at the game industry’s annual global conference.
Career opportunities are growing in the field because video games are big business. Cataldi said recruiters visit SCAD on a regular basis, including big companies like Microsoft and Lucas, and game development companies like Blizzard.
“They come here because they are looking for the next level of talent,” Cataldi said, noting that a typical starting annual salary for a graduate with a four-year undergraduate degree is $40,000 to $50,000. “And it’s not unheard of for an artist to start at $70,000 to $80,000 in interactive game companies.”
The market is wide open for game developers.
“Games used to be a publisher-driven industry,” Cataldi said. “But let’s say you have a great idea for a game. There are a lot more ways to get a game out today. Groups like Steam and Origin allow you to bypass the publishers. You can go online and retain the intellectual property, just paying a fee to have the game released.”
According to the Entertainment Software Association, consumers spent $20.77 billion in 2012 on game content, accessories and hardware (source: The NPD Group/Games Market Dynamics U.S.). About 58 percent of Americans play interactive games and the average U.S. household owns at least one dedicated game console, PC, smartphone, handheld system or wireless device to play games.
“Students who succeed in our program tend to be creative problem-solvers,” Cataldi said. “Making a game is a massive exercise in creative problem-solving. You are like a chef — always thinking ahead, planning, experimenting until you find the 'secret sauce’ that combines it all to make a game fun — because the fun is not guaranteed.”
Games must cater to a wide range of ages and interests. The Entertainment Software Association says the average game player is 30. One-third of all players are under 18; a third are 18 to 35, and the rest are 36 and older. Whether gamers play online or on a mobile device, there’s something for everyone: puzzles, board games, game shows, trivia, multiplayer games, action, sports, strategy and role-playing games.
Game development is extremely detailed.
“I have worked on games where 5,000 objects must be placed in a single environment,” Cataldi said. “If the environment has to feel like an old farm that has been overrun and flooded, with old bales of hay and livestock milling around, it all has to look natural and organic. All of these elements have to be placed by a person. The computer doesn’t do the work.”
Chris Dodson has taught at SCAD-Atlanta for five years.
“We encourage research and experimentation at SCAD. We don’t want to copy games, and we want our students to understand the user experience because that can make or break the success of a game,” Dodson said.
Dodson said that by the time students are in their junior and senior years at SCAD, one of the ways they learn is by working in teams to develop a game. The process bolsters critical-thinking skills and the ability to sell their ideas.
“First they do market research. Next they come up with design ideas and pitch them to the class. A vote is taken to determine which idea gets developed,” he said.
Tuition at SCAD is about $30,000 annually. It is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Class size is small to facilitate individual attention for students.
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